In the space of policymaking, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) becomes critical because it guarantees effectiveness, accountability and responsiveness of policies to real-world conditions rather than being just symbolic.
In India, policymaking does not end with just launching it. The main significance lies in how it is implemented or what the outcomes are. Most importantly, how it has helped people. These aspects can be measured if a strong and measurable M&E mechanism is in place. In fact, in the current scenario, M&E has become a core function in governance and is embedded in the entire policy cycle, starting from designing to delivery and restructuring.
Benefits
One of the strong benefits of M&E is that it contributes to evidence-informed policymaking. In India, M&E generates data that reveals what works and what needs improvement. This does not merely serve as feedback but also helps evidence-based governance for initiatives such as the Department of Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) at NITI Aayog.
It also helps in strengthening accountability and transparency in governance. This is down by having strong indicators, setting viable targets, a robust reporting mechanism in place and ensuring that implementation agencies are accountable. As a result, it enhances credibility and relevance.
M&E also helps in becoming a corrective mechanism during a programme. Continuous monitoring in a policy cycle helps keep a tab on challenges and also to identify what went well. This, in turn, helps improve policy design and allows policymakers to refine policies in the areas of delivery mechanism and objectives, which help in making interventions inclusive and relevant.
It also contributes to institutional learning, where findings are documented and help in coherence of policymaking for future programmes. This directly links to the capacity building of government officers who help in designing policies.
Most importantly, M&E brings in making policies sustainable due to credibility. One must acknowledge that M&E is not an activity or add-on which lies on the fringes of a policy, it is a central point to help improve policies and make it efficient.
Barriers to M&E in India
While there are benefits, there are also some significant challenges. They include:
- Constraints in manpower: Lack of professionals in government sectors, limited experience in analytical skills, which ends in reporting being a mere exercise than having a strong analytic system.
- Lack of appropriate or unavailability of data: This does not help in validation, and hence, some policy decisions become weak.
- Emphasis on numbers rather than outcomes, which limits long-term evaluation.
- Non-use of evaluation reports/suggestions and weak feedback loops.
However, despite the challenges, the government has made efforts to improve the use of M&E by:
- Geo-tagging assets
- Developing dashboards for programmes
- Establishing verification mechanisms (Aadhar)
- Using data for governance
Case Studies from the Government of India
Case Study 1: Mission Indradhanush – Data-Driven Immunisation Monitoring
What?
Initiated by the Government of India to boost routine childhood immunisation coverage by micro-planning, tracking, and periodic monitoring of coverage gaps.
How?
- Monitor vaccination rounds through health reports
- Identify and focus on regions which has low coverage based on data collected
Benefits
- Increase in immunisation rates and data showed improvements from ~65 % to over 80 % before intensification phases
- Some scientific reports peg a 27% rise in full immunisation and an increase in on-time vaccination.
Case Study 2: Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) – Participatory Social Audits
What?
Institutionalising social audits
How?
- Legally conducted social audits under Section17 of the Act
- Gram Panchayat members were actively involved in recording data and verifying records
Benefits
- Enhanced transparency and accountability in implementation
- Became a best practice for combining community and digital data to make the scheme work.
Case Study 3: Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO and Central Scheme Evaluations – Systematic Evidence Generation
What?
Launched to conducts independent evaluations of major schemes to improve policy and programme outcomes under the aegis of by NITI Aayog.
How?
- Third party played an important role in evaluating the programme by using frameworks to include examining relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, impact and equity
- Analysis was fed into mid-term appraisals and redesign for better planning and redesigning.
Benefits
Systematic approach involving relevant stakeholders gave a boost to the programme
The Government realised that a strong and viable mechanism in place brought in significant benefits to include:
- Bringing in beneficiaries in the evaluation process helped in participatory monitoring
- Policy design became a learning approach and brought in credibility through independent evaluations
- Ensured comprehensive service coverage through Inter-departmental tracking and convergence
Bottom of Form
The main challenge of M&E in India is shifting from a compliance-based reporting system to a learning-oriented, outcome-focused system. Strengthening capacity, improving data integration, ensuring independence, and building a culture of evidence-based policymaking are essential for effective governance.
